Dellosa says graft remains at Customs; Lina dares him to name names

Bureau of Customs intelligence chief Jessie Dellosa on Thursday said that corruption continues to be a serious problem at the Bureau of Customs.

"Dito sa Bureau of Customs talagang talamak ang corruption because of this tara (grease money). Kung merong corruption, merong smuggling," said Dellosa, the Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group.

"Kung walang corruption, walang smuggling," he added.

Dellosa confessed that breaking the deeply-seated "tara system" or grease money changing hands was easier said than done.

"Kaya nung pumasok kami dito yung reform team, that is one of our priorities: to stop "tara system." Ang hirap hirap gawin kung hindi mag cooperate ang lahat," he explained.

The controversial remarks were made by Dellosa during the media presentation of seized 57 containers of smuggled sugar from Thailand amounting to P85 million.

Informed by the media of his deputy commissioner's scathing public pronouncement, Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina cried foul.

He dared Dellosa to substantiate his claims.  

"Sinasabi nya talamak, sabihin nya. He should name names already. Hindi ba unfair din yun sa mga tao namin," Lina said.

"[Dellosa] should report to me, ako ang boss nya," he added. —NB/ALG, GMA News